This delicious spicy tomato juice is as easy as making any other broth recipe. Just simmer down the ingredients, then strain the juice to get the desired texture.
Tomato Juice
Updated on Oct. 03, 2024
This homemade tomato juice is savory, sweet, salty and a touch spicy. Not only is it the main ingredient in a Bloody Mary cocktail, it’s absolutely delicious on its own too. This recipe cooks down the ingredients first, giving the juice a different flavor than if you were to juice the tomatoes fresh. Of course, you can make it both ways, and your preference may come down to what season you’re in—cooked in the fall and winter, fresh in the spring and summer.
Ingredients for Tomato Juice
- Tomatoes: Among the types of tomatoes, we suggest beefsteak, plum or tomatoes on the vine. If you’re in a pinch, canned stewed tomatoes will work in this recipe too.
- Celery: With its grassy and slightly salty flavor, celery plays well with the sweet and savory ingredients in this juice.
- Onion: Onions owe their pungent flavor to sulfuric compounds, which are common in other foods like garlic.
- Bell pepper: We recommend using green bell pepper in this tomato juice, since its fresh, vegetal flavor blends well with the other ingredients.
- Parsley: The slight bitter and fresh flavor of parsley balances the umami, or savory, flavor of tomatoes.
- Sugar: We suggest using granulated white sugar because its purely sweet flavor won’t interfere with the others in this recipe.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a potent combo of anchovies, molasses, tamarind and more. Just a dash is all you need to liven up a recipe.
- Hot pepper sauce: Most hot sauces are either vinegar-based, fermented or considered to be specialty recipes. Feel free to use any brand you love here, or try your hand at homemade hot sauce.
- Cayenne pepper: This variety of chili adds very minimal flavor and, instead, is mainly used for extra heat.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the tomatoes and vegetables
Quarter the tomatoes, then place them in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Add the celery, onions, green pepper and parsley, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Prep the storage containers
Wash five 1-quart plastic or freezer-safe containers with hot, soapy water. Dry them thoroughly and set them aside.
Step 3: Combine the remaining ingredients
Let the tomato mixture cool slightly, then put it through a sieve or food mill. Return it to the pan and add the sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, hot pepper sauce, cayenne pepper and pepper, then mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Step 4: Fill the containers
Fill all the containers to within 1/2 inch of the top, to allow for expansion if you put them in the freezer. Wipe off the top edges, and immediately cover the containers with their lids.
Tomato Juice Variations
- Add a few extras: Instead of or in addition to parsley, herbs like oregano, basil, dill or cilantro would all taste great in this recipe. You may also enjoy adding a touch of garlic, horseradish, curry powder or even a shake of fish sauce.
- Try different veggies: Of course, tomato is a key ingredient in this recipe, but you can switch up many of the others, according to your preferences. For example, carrots, leeks and asparagus would all work well too.
How to Store Tomato Juice
To store tomato juice, pour it into a Mason jar or other airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to four days. Although this juice is strained to remove most of the fiber, it’s a good idea to give the juice a stir before serving it.
Can I freeze tomato juice?
To freeze this recipe, place the leftovers in airtight containers, leaving about 1/2 inch of room at the top. Freeze the juice for up to 12 months, and when you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Tomato Juice Tips
What’s the best way to juice tomatoes?
While this spicy tomato juice is simmered down to release its liquid, you can convert it into a raw juice recipe. For this, it’s best to use a masticating juicer, but a blender or food processor will work too.
How can I make tomato juice taste better?
Apart from the herbs and seasonings we suggested in the recipe variations above, you can play around with ratios of different ingredients. For example, maybe you’d prefer to reduce the amount of tomato and increase the bell pepper in this juice recipe.
What makes tomatoes tastier?
While tomatoes are highly aromatic and complex in flavor, their two easiest flavors to play up are sweet and sour. So if you feel your tomatoes are lacking in this regard, you can add a touch of sugar or a dash of vinegar to the mix.
Spicy Tomato Juice
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
45 min
Yield
about 5 quarts
Ingredients
- 13 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 40 medium)
- 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
- 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
- Quarter tomatoes; place in a 6-qt. Dutch oven. Add celery, onions, green pepper and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, wash five 1-quart plastic or freezer-safe containers with hot, soapy water. Dry thoroughly; set aside. Cool tomato mixture slightly; put through a sieve or food mill. Return to pan. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cool.
- Fill all containers to within 1/2 in. of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Freeze up to 12 months. Thaw frozen juice in refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Facts
1 cup: 95 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 514mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g protein.
Loading Popular in the Community
You can drink this juice plain or use it in most any recipe like chili that calls for vegetable juice as an ingredient. —Kathleen Gill, Butte, Montana
Recipe Creator
Loading Reviews
